Rangers top Capitals to force Game 7

Monday

May 13, 2013 at 12:01 AMMay 13, 2013 at 2:05 AM

NEW YORK — Henrik Lundqvist stopped 27 shots in earning his seventh NHL playoff shutout, and Derick Brassard scored a second-period goal for the New York Rangers, who stayed alive with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday that forced a Game 7 in the first-round series.

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Henrik Lundqvist stopped 27 shots in earning his seventh NHL playoff shutout, and Derick Brassard scored a second-period goal for the New York Rangers, who stayed alive with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday that forced a Game 7 in the first-round series.

Brassard handed Lundqvist the lead at 9:39 of the second period, with a goal that was originally credited to struggling forward Rick Nash.

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner made it stand up, and helped send the series back to Washington for the deciding game tonight.

The home team has won all six games in the series.

The game ended with a melee in the far left corner in the New York zone after the final buzzer had sounded.

Maple Leafs 2, Bruins 1

At Toronto, captain Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessel scored third-period goals and Toronto edged Boston to send the playoff series back to Boston for Game 7.

Game 7 is tonight in Boston.

Milan Lucic scored for Boston with 26 seconds left in the third.

The Maple Leafs have momentum after two consecutive wins.

James Reimer made 29 saves for the Maple Leafs.

For Phaneuf, scoring a goal was a bit of redemption after being involved in the play that led to the Bruins' overtime winner in Game 4.

Phaneuf's goal at 1:48 of the third period came after Nazem Kadri ripped a wrist shot that was tipped in by Phaneuf, who had made his way to the front of the goal after continuing his rush.

Boston had lost the puck in the Toronto end on an attempt at a pass by David Krejci.

Kessel then added to the lead at 8:59, picking up the puck after James van Riemsdyk dealt with two Bruins in front of goal and backhanded it past Tuukka Rask. Kadri beat Patrice Bergeron on the faceoff to start the play. Rask finished with 24 saves.

Red Wings 3, Ducks 2

At Anaheim, Calif., Henrik Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula each had a goal and an assist, and the Detroit Red Wings finished off the Anaheim Ducks with a victory in Game 7.

Justin Abdelkader scored a short-handed goal and Jimmy Howard made 31 saves as the seventh-seeded Red Wings won three of the first-round series' final four games to oust the Ducks, who had the NHL's third-best record in the regular season.

Detroit faces top-seeded Chicago in the second round.

Emerson Etem and Francois Beauchemin scored and Jonas Hiller stopped 29 shots for the Ducks, who failed to win their first playoff series since 2009 despite home-ice advantage. After the clubs played four overtimes in the series' first six games, the Red Wings largely dominated the anti-climactic clincher.